Sheriff’s Officer Spots Suspects Wanted For Assaulting Police Officer

ELIZABETH — A keen-eyed Union County Sheriff’s Officer’s observation while walking to his car after work resulted in the arrest of three Texas men wanted for assaulting a police officer a week earlier.

On Nov. 20, an off-duty Elizabeth Police officer was violently attacked and disarmed during a dispute in Roselle. The suspects fled the scene.

Six days later, while walking down Rahway Avenue in Elizabeth after finishing his regular shift, Sheriff’s Officer George Gyure spotted a red pickup and trailer parked near three men working on a billboard.

The vehicle matched the description in the “be on the lookout” alert from the Roselle Police Department. A man on the billboard also fit the description of one of the suspects.

Gyure called Captain Roxann Banek informing her of the situation. Sheriff’s Officers James Miller and Kevin Sargent responded as back up.

The Sheriff’s Officers detained the three men until officers from the Elizabeth and Roselle Police Departments arrived and confirmed that these were the suspects and vehicle they were looking for.

Robert Garcia, Joshua Curington and Ricardo Alcala Cervantes, all of Texas, were transported to Roselle Police Headquarters.

“This a good job by a very alert officer with great street experience,” said Union County Sheriff Ralph Froehlich.